Letter E by Anonymous

c. 16th century

Letter E

Listen to curator's interpretation

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Curatorial notes

Editor: This is "Letter E," from an anonymous artist, currently at the Harvard Art Museums. It's like the alphabet decided to throw a Baroque party! What's your interpretation of this fancy initial? Curator: It's a delightful glimpse into a time when even letters had flair! Look at how the letterform intertwines with those fantastical creatures and foliage. It feels like a little world, doesn't it? Almost like a tiny stage for a miniature drama. It makes you wonder what word this "E" was meant to begin, what story it was meant to tell. Editor: That's beautiful! I hadn't considered it like that. Curator: Perhaps this letter "E" offers a tiny window into the grand, untold stories that were so important to the early readers and writers.